John L. Balderston was brought on to write the script for The Mummy due to his contributions to Universal’s earlier success of Dracula and Frankenstein. He also was the journalist who covered the opening of Tutankhamen’s tomb for the New York World so he was and outstanding choice for the script. Balderston relocated the story to Egypt and the movie’s title character was Imhotep, based on the ancient architect. Imhotep would set out on his frightful crusade to revive his old love by killing and then mummifying her reincarnated version. Imhotep would use the Scroll of Toth to do this.

Contrary to popular myth, the Scroll of Toth is not real but is more likely based on the Egyptian Book of the Dead. However; Toth was indeed considered the wisest of the Egyptian gods who did bring by Isis from the dead. This would help lend believe-ability into the story of The Mummy.

However like all films it isn’t without it’s controversy. Even though the film takes place in Egypt, people in the East were upset since all of the actors in The Mummy were clearly American. It became a clash between Western science vs. Egyptian mythology.

Despite the cultural backlash, The Mummy would go on to be a box office hit and would earn it’s place in film horror history and would go on to create many sequels and remakes. It’s back story isn’t real but is so believable it takes a life of it’s own and the story of The Mummy is immortalized forever.

It is a pleasure to invite you into his tale of immortal love. The Mummy!

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include—

(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;

(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;

(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and

(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors

Liked it? Take a second to support Cryptic Escape and help keep us Ad free on Patreon!